Deputy

Skoda make 762,000 vehicles in a year. Even if the cost is just £2 to supply and fit the carpet (plus overhead in managing part numbers and suppliers) then they've saved over £1.5million straight onto the bottom line. And I didn't even know earlier versions had carpet (and to be honest, I don't mind carpet/not carpet).

Not sure about VAG - but the car manufacturers I have been invovled in didn't do a blocks of RHD or LHD high/low specs. In fact quite the opposite, due to line balancing and TAKT times a high spec 'Elegance' would be followed by a couple of 'S' specs. eg if overall line speed is based on time to build an SE then extra/less time is needed for the others so the line is mixed to ensure the operators don't get ahead/behind.

Maybe I should tape my knee sliders to the Yeti door handles!

I used to work for a major Japanese car manufacturer and did emissions/economy testing. The official figures are from an engine having done 30,000! When testing brand new, 0 miles engines for conformance, we applied an offset to allow for the future improvement. (Also worth pointing out that official cycles are done in a temperature controlled room, on a warm engine and the driving cycles are like driving with your gran on an especially slow Sunday drive)

Yeti + Superbike. Still costs less than most 4x4s and lets you do 0-60 in less than 3 seconds and safe, warm and cosy in winter (and you can't get your knee down in a supercar....)

I was going to get snow socks but local tyre dealer offered me a good deal on 225/50R17 Vredstein Wintrac Extremes - he'd change them over twice a year for free, for life of the tyres (+ a few quid for valves). So I can keep my nice 17" alloys and have winter fun in the Yorkshire Dales. I've also just had Goodyear 4Seasons fitted to my wifes 4x4 Suzuki SX4 (only really used for local journeys and needed new tyres). So I'll report back later after the first slush/snow/ice how they compare. Bring on winter!

Thanks for the 'boing' reply. I never use the voice activation stuff (used to have it in a car years ago) - I love gadgets when they help but it's still much slower than just pressing a couple of buttons. And if you have annoying friends in the car who shout 'factory reset' when you press the voice button, it gets tedious!

Anyone know how to stop the very loud 'bing bong' when the phone disconnects when you turn the car off? Issue, I have a couple of small sleeping babies on the back seat, arrive quietly at home and now when I reverse it beeps like mad to tell me I'm reversing towards a wall and then sounds like a bluetooth Big Ben when I turn off! Almost guaranteed to wake them up after a quiet drive..... Currently not linking bluetooth on night drives!

I think not fans but 'vents'. I assume part of the armrest (SE and Elegance?). I like them - lets the aircon keep the little ones back there even cooler.

If I can add - although an R400 is awesome - it still has 4 wheels. If you really want to have fun lose 2. My Japanese rocket weighs about 180Kg, 160Bhp (2007 Fireblade, its the older one so down on power!). Now that's fun, you can't lean sat in 4 wheels! Rubbish in snow though......

Well, things I miss in the YETI are: keyless entry and start, self closing rear door, adaptive cruise control and night vision. Come on Skoda - I bought a Yeti because I wanted a good sized 4x4 with great features - not just because it was cheaper than an Audi Qbarge. But I suppose the marketing team call that 'brand differentiation....'

Don't forget a big chunk of Suzuki and nearly all of Porsche (or is It Porsche that owns VAG....?)

I spoke with my Chinese collegues yesterday (I was gloating my Yeti had more kit than his (real) Tiguan for less money! The Tiguan is very popular in China hence the copy). He has seen the copy Tiguan in a local showroom and even he is amazed how they get way with it - when the government tries to control everything else!

That's all I'd use. Machine Mart has some good value torque wrenches - just get one where 120Nm is middle of it's range (eg 84-210 range, not 120-360...) And recheck torques after a few days. Is it too obvious to say torque the wheels fully only when on the ground, not jacked up.....?

Wrecked a tyre when parking !! Crikey, How fast do you park? Maybe the park assist option would be better than a spare tyre and you get more space

I work in China a lot and the copies still amaze me (I was offered an iPhone 5 in July - not even launched yet! I will be checking to see if the real one looks the same when finally uncovered). Thankfully for 'Western' companies the Chinese haven't yet got great new ideas of their own and just make cheap copies of everything (and why I have a job!). But once they do get designers doing new ideas.....

This is a nice visual indicator and % change calculator webpage for tyre sizes Tyre Sizes I've just bitten the bullet and ordered Vredstein Wintrac Extremes in 225/50 R17 - I like my alloys with winter tyres, not nasty cheap steels! (you can argue that smaller steels, narrower tyres are functionally better but 225 Wintracs on alloys look good and still whoop normal tyres when cold)

I assume he'd have to order the panaromic sunroof option.....

Thanks all - I really rated them on the Ka and good to hear they helped on the heavier Yeti too. Getting some now for this winter (before they sell out!) and will see how I get on and if I really need winter tyres for next year.

Hi Anyone used these on a Yeti? Autosocks I used them on a Ford Ka and they got me home across Yorkshire hills in last years snow (funny being followed by a Land Cruiser and a Range Rover when all they could see was my little Ka storming up the hill past stuck cars) and they were great. I'm hoping to just keep regular tyres this year (on my 4x4 Yeti) and have these for when the road is actually white and I need to stop when going downhill. £50 instead of £800 or so for winter tyes and wheels. Anyone else tried them?

Spot On. Got a good trade in on my old vehicle too, so hopefully a good start on my Yeti adventure. Car was like new except the first owner took the initial depreciation hit !

Metallic Grey and no other options, but Elegance standard spec will do!

Hi All Just saying high, got my nearly new (85miles on the clock) 1.8 TSi 4x4 Elegance this morning. Local Skoda dealer network had nothing nearly new, and a brand new one was months away, but local independent had 2 in stock. Arrived at dealer at 8am, new Yeti on road by 9am! Looking forward to playing now.

Shows how we want different things though. I can't stand dealer handovers - I'm a car geek and like to suss out the kit myself. Just give me the keys and say bye!